They are from the same party, but Leader of Opposition in the Vidhana Parishad, KS Eshwarappa and BJP State President BS Yeddyurappa have been arch enemies for a long time.
The feud between the two leaders took a new turn with allegations that one of Yeddyurappa's staff members tried to kidnap Eashwarappa's personal assistant.
The interrogation of BJP Yuva Morcha Leader, Rajendra Urs, has revealed that Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant, NR Santosh, had ordered him to hire a gangster called Prashanth. Santosh wanted the gangster to kidnap Eashwarappa’s PA, Vinay Bidre.
According to the Bengaluru Police, Rajendra has revealed the existence of a CD, which contained incriminating information about Eshwarappa.
“According to Rajendra Urs, Eshwarappa’s PA, Vinay Bidre had a CD in his possession. This CD is supposed to contain some incriminating information about Eshwarappa. He has said that Santosh had asked him to procure this CD from Vinay,” a police official with knowledge about the interrogation told TNM.
Rajendra Urs, has allegedly told the police that he had met the gangster, Prashanth at NR Santosh’s house warming ceremony.
“Rajendra had gone to Santhosh’s house located in Nonavinahalli. At the time, Prashanth and his gang of five other rowdy sheeters had come for the ceremony as well. NR Santhosh then told Rajendra to offer Prashanth a deal, where the gangster’s case history would be wiped off if he would help abduct Eshwarappa’s PA Vinay and procure the alleged CD from him,” the police official added.
According to Rajendra’s statement, NR Santosh wanted the CD in order to stop Eashwarappa from continuing with the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, a social organisation that had created a further rift between the two leaders.
On May 11, a five-member gang had allegedly attempted to abduct NS Vinay Kumar. The police have identified Santosh as the prime suspect and are searching for him ever since he absconded in May.
The Bengaluru Police had, on July 15, landed on Yeddyurappa’s doorstep as they believed that Santosh was at the BJP leader’s home.
Police had arrested four of the five accused. However, the fifth and also the prime accused in the case, Prashath Kumar alias Raja, was arrested on July 7.
On July 16, after the police showed up at Yeddyurappa’s doorstep, the BJP leader had dashed of a letter to Police Commissioner Praveen Sood, vouching for Santhosh’s innocence.
However, the police have filed an objection to Santhosh’s anticipatory bail petition, stating that questioning his is paramount in the case.
“On Monday, we had filed an objection to his anticipatory bail as he has to be arrested and questioned,” the police said.